Your Ski Equip. Awakening?

[Gary]

Thought this would be fun....since I've spilled my beans regarding my evolutoin in ski equip...

How about u all?

Describe your  "skiing sense" of what a new or demoed ski gave you personally

What you think you'd like to try next and where you expect to ski it.

The most recent  breakthough in ski gear you've had (besides Boots)

Finally...does your gear meet your current ski skill needs and if not ....why?

Let's air it out gang....G

[Perry]

Well, I can comment on 3 skis that I have wanted to try for some time that I rode out at snowmass and to some degree how the CSM may or may not influence my choice moving forward.

I rode the Watea 84, Head IM 82, and Head IM 78, after my lessons with Clendenin.  I skied my lessons on the Head SS Magnum at 177.  I'm 6' 2"  200 lb so that is about right for me.  Jim can comment on the length of the 84's since they are his skis.  It has been commented on before on this board that the CSM works well with wide skis since it emphasizes a slower, gradual engagement of the edges.  Hard for me to comment really since these are the widest skis I have skied on so I don't have a comparison pre- CSM.  But it did feel natural and I could really feel the flat spot and then the gradual engagement of the edges.

Head IM 82 at 172 or 170 (no 178 avail) - this is a pony that just wants to run.  A great GS, bullet proof stability, and just wanted to run and they were so much fun that I had fun letting them go.  A couple of times I was flying at speeds that made me second guess my judgment . (I had a big grin) It could do shorter turns but it took more work.  I didn't take them into the bumps that I remember.  Honestly, I just remember that they were fun to ski fast.  I am told that they are also great crud skis, again, little new snow and not much crud to test them on.  I probably would not buy them only because bombing down the slope is not my thing.

Watea 84 - A nice blend of both of the Head skis.  A great, and really fun ski.  They also are a fun GS ski but not as good as the 82.  For the way I ski - moderately fast but not a burner - they were fine.  They are a better turner than the 82 and didn't mind short turns at all.  Took them into some crud and trees and they were pretty good as far as I could tell but this is not the strength of my skiing so don't go by my opinion.  Bottom line, they were a good blend and they were a lot of fun.  I would definitely think about buying these, a good consideration for a go out West ski.

Head IM 78 at 172 (again the 177 not available)  This is an interesting ski and I think I would have enjoyed it even more at 177.  Very stable, but doesn't want to be skied flat.  Pick a turn and it will carve or brush it out.  Good in the bumps, fun on the groomed, I skied through some 6 inch crud and they were rock solid.  I did feel myself moving back in the broken snow and I was not sure if this had to do with me, where the skis were mounted, or the fact that the 177 would have been much better at that task.  Bottom line, I am just reiterating everything you have already read about this ski.  It's pretty darn good.  I would want to test the 177 and not sure I would buy because I am looking for a ski I can take out west and jump in the powder should it dump.  I wanted to demo the Sultan 85 but they didn't have it in 178. 

As I am developing some off piste skills, I am looking at wider skis.  Now that I can ski bumps, I also want something that I can take in there and be playful with.

Now if someone has some Kastle MX 88 that I can demo, that sounds like a good ride.

bumping along.............. ..Perry

[jbotti]

Ah, one of my favorite subjects!!

For me over the past two seasons the major equipment breakthrough has been in my boot set up. I have a reasonably narrow but very low volume foot and I pretty much need to be in a plug boot. I am skiing the Head Raptor 130. I added the Nordica foam liner at the beginning of last season. Nothing has helped my skiing more in the past few years than this. This is the ultimate glove like fit. Once i broke in the new liners (takes about ten ski days) I really would never go back to sking without them. Perhaps most importantly I never feel plastic against the sides of my feet (especially when I am tipping). At times in thin liners in plug boots this would hurt and I wouldn't want to put my feet in the same position again. Transmission from feet to ski is immediate. Truly awesome once one gets used to it (which takes about 1 ski day).

I have too many skis. I porbably should spend time demoing the skis I have to figuere out which ones I should get rid of rather demoing new ones. My fav skis right now are the Fischer progressor 9+ which is my every day hard snow ski. My next favorite skis are the Fischer Watea 94's which i use in fresh snow. I think that I am still looking for a midfat that maybe is stiffer than the FX 84 and with a tip that hooks up faster. I like the ski alot, but I want something I can push a little harder. Maybe a stockli (I will demo the Rotor 84 next week!!), maybe the MX 88 and maybe it is the Peak 88 which I here is great (I have yet to demo them).

I bought a used pair of 21m radius 192 cm RD GS skis. My appreciation for WC skiers has gone up. Wheras I can ski on RD slalom skis and ski them well and mostly control the skis, these are like super G skis for me. It takes every bit of technique and strength for me to tighten the turn radius even a little. After 3 turns I am going 45-50 mph. They are a great training tool, but not easy to ski at all!! In a gS course on these I would make the first 4 gates and then ski out. I just can't tighen the radius enough (hopefully yet!!)

Now I notice that Gary says I can't use boots as my breakthorugh ski gear.

Probably the head RD Slalom skis made the biggest difference in my hard snow skiing of any ski recently. If you ski them properly on hard snow they snap off the snow in every turn with so much rebpund that if you are back at all you are going for a ride. Nothing dials in fore aft balance like these skis. Once dialed in, they are unbelievably fun to just rock edge lock carved short radius turns on. I also learned to do carved flushes on these which I can now do on non slalom skis.

Back in Montana next week and the week after I head out with the family for ski week and ten days of skiing. It's winter, plenty of snow, life is good!!

Kastle demo day at my mountain also in 2 weeks!!

[Perry]

JB- Getting boots fitted by Chris @ HH had without doubt the biggest immediate impact on my skiing.  I think Gary probably exempted them because it would have been a boot thread the recent discussion has been with evolving ski technique and ski design.

For me in the past, going from a K2 5500 escape to the Head IM 75 non chip was initially a challenge but it really helped my skiing.  The k2 tail really wanted to release, the ski was made to rotate in my opinion.  You can brush the tails on the IM 75 but you have to do it with proper technique. 

Then I bought the RX 8 and that is just a very sweet ski.  Probably my favorite in terms of all around fun.  It now feels a little short at 170, but it is very quick and playful. I am interested in how it responds to the Clendenin method.  I just loves to do the HH thing. 

We are about the same size, what length do you ski the P9?

[jbotti]

I ski it in a 175cm length. I have thought about getting the 180 length but then I think the charcater of the ski would change. The beauty of the Progressor in the 175cm length is that you can so slalomish turns on it (edge locked carved) as you can really tighten the turn radius on the ski. I think I would lose this on the 180 (but I don't know for sure because I have never skied it).

If you like the RX 8 you will just love the P9. It is a forgiving ski, but it just has way more high end performance than does the RX 8. Even better you can usually get a great deal on them and get new skis and bindings for $450-500.

Yeah boots make all the difference!!

[Perry]

Did you demo both the P8 and the P9 and why did you go with the P9?  I have often thought that if I had the Rx8 in 175, overall, I would like it even better.  I know it would be a little bit more stable but honestly, I have to really let them go before they even begin to tell me to slow down.

Did you change your avatar yet on the PMTS?

[jbotti]

I actually own the Fischer Progressor (with no number). The next year they came out with the 7,8 and 9. The first year Progressor is the same as the 9+. So no I never tried the 8 but I would not want anything less stiff or with less high end. It really is very easy to ski and to relax on.

As for the avatar on the PMTS forum, Harald controls it right now. He put up my last one. He is going to switch it but he has been running a camp for the last week. I assume I could put one up here. Not sure how. I will look into that. It will be the middle picture.

[LivingProof]

G et al,

A counterpoint to gear hoopla. This is the time of year to get out and ski. The limiting half of the love affair between skis and skier, is the skill of the driver. As much as my Kastle 88's did for me in Jackson, the skill gap in my skiing compared to Father Phil and the twenty something team makes me want to get out and improve.? Drive them white wizards. Get more balanced, get hand positions right, feel that ski slicing, ski like Alice in moguls, feel the sun and wind. Just do it! There's a time for every season, and now's not the time for talking skis.

Rant over!?

[Ron]

Am I excluded from your team?  Nice post! (Thumbs up emodicon)

[Perry]

G et al,

A counterpoint to gear hoopla. This is the time of year to get out and ski. The limiting half of the love affair between skis and skier, is the skill of the driver. As much as my Kastle 88's did for me in Jackson, the skill gap in my skiing compared to Father Phil and the twenty something team makes me want to get out and improve.? Drive them white wizards. Get more balanced, get hand positions right, feel that ski slicing, ski like Alice in moguls, feel the sun and wind. Just do it! There's a time for every season, and now's not the time for talking skis.

Rant over!?

As my kids say, "true that!"  But please, have compassion on a fellow addict who got boxed out from days on the slope with fresh snow and nothing to do but..............we ll, you've seen it.

[LivingProof]

A major apology to Rock'in Ron for omitting him as a charter member of the "Father Phil and the Twenty Somethings". This group's main purpose was to ski like hell in JH and a minor in "Wearing Out LP". They accomplished both goals.

The sleeper awakes! After 15 days on skis, it's starting to come back. I envy those who had the foresight to see HH early in the year. You did not waste days on skis as I did. I'm doing a racing clinic and on the first day got some great feedback about body positions. There is a gap between how I skied and how I want to ski. As much as I tried in Jackson, free skiing in new snow there is counterproductive to fixing technique. Don't get me wrong, the time on skis is really important, but, I (speaking only for myself) need to get better at basics.

For the past two ski days, I've worked mostly on Harb drills on green level trails. It's coming nicely. Need to get a retest with the big guys, Phil, Ron and Gary.

[jbotti]

LP, you are on the right track. Skiing in difficult terrain and in fresh snow that is chopped is a ton of fun, but it can also set you back substantially with technique. I am very committed to not reinforcing bad habits that limit my ability to ski well especially in more challenging terrain and conditions. This of course does not mean that you can't have fun and that you can't challenge yourself. My simple rule is that when I see my skiing deteriorate because of the terrain or the conditions on the next run I go find some easier terrain (even if it is only a little easier) and put back in place what was coming apart in the harder terrain. If you continue to be diligent about parcticing good skiing fundamentals and get them ingrained in youir skiing, all terrain will ultimatley be easy and fun. IMO you are very wise to follow this approach. Alot of people never want to put in the time or the discipline to master fundamentally sound technique that will take them everywhere on the mountain. It takes time, effort, dsicipline and it will mean that you don't ski some stuff that your buddies are skiing. I missed alot of that stuff with friends, but now none of them can stay with me!!! Keep up the excellent work it will pay off!!

As for talikng about gear during ski season, it really is the best time. It is a time when you have fresh memories as to how a ski performed in certain conditions. It is actually more useful than all the online conversations we have in the off season when we are just dying to be skiing!

[Ron]

A major apology to Rock'in Ron for omitting him as a charter member of the "Father Phil and the Twenty Somethings". This group's main purpose was to ski like hell in JH and a minor in "Wearing Out LP". They accomplished both goals.

Mike, you were hangin' with the gang just fine. Jackson is a great place to push your limits and hone skills you can't practice on groomers and gentle terrain!  Good job my bro'.   You can't progress without a little pain.  If that's the terrain you want to ski, you can only get so far on a groomer.  Skills are critical for sure but for off piste terrain, big mountain stuff, you have to be out here skiing it. No substitute. This is my 5th season skiing off-piste stuff and I still have so much to learn. I should have been spending much more time in the good stuff learning it. In the long run, I would have progressed much more and probably have had more fun too!

[LivingProof]

As for talikng about gear during ski season, it really is the best time. It is a time when you have fresh memories as to how a ski performed in certain conditions. It is actually more useful than all the online conversations we have in the off season when we are just dying to be skiing!

John,
While I still believe ski season is the time to think more about how you are skiing than what you are skiing on, now is a great time to evaluate your quiver against your needs. "To your own self, be true" is a saying I believe in. Each has needs very specific to the circumstances we ski under. I remember your thinking about the Watea 94 performing great under circumstances you encounter in Big Sky. Not the newest ski, not much hype about it, but, very meaningful ski to you. It's a no-brainer keeper for you. That simplification should be what quivers are built around.

The culture of skiing thrives on ski choice selection above all else and to a degree higher than any other equipment oriented sport. We all get wrapped up in skis, and, I dare say, we have all bought at least one pair that just did not measure up. While I can say I'm very happy with my 2 ski quiver, both are new to me this year. Is change for change sake or perceived meaningful need a good thing? Are we influencing others to ask the right questions or are we encouraging them to join in on the hype. Ask me, next year, about this years quiver and challenge the sanity of changes made.

Now back to "how can I get my skis to higher angles?" and "when am I going out again"?

[SnowHot]

A major apology to Rock'in Ron for omitting him as a charter member of the "Father Phil and the Twenty Somethings". This group's main purpose was to ski like hell in JH and a minor in "Wearing Out LP". They accomplished both goals.

Mike, you were hangin' with the gang just fine. Jackson is a great place to push your limits and hone skills you can't practice on groomers and gentle terrain!? Good job my bro'.? ?You can't progress without a little pain.? If that's the terrain you want to ski, you can only get so far on a groomer.? Skills are critical for sure but for off piste terrain, big mountain stuff, you have to be out here skiing it. No substitute. This is my 5th season skiing off-piste stuff and I still have so much to learn. I should have been spending much more time in the good stuff learning it. In the long run, I would have progressed much more and probably have had more fun too!

Ah, yeesssssss!  I am guessing that this is the reason that I thoroughly enjoy skiing with you!!